Whiffs of Pomegranate in the Summer Wind by Isabel Lai

When the seas rage, they hardly stop.

Wave after wave, the sea blubbers white foam at its lips, salivating at the thought of consuming wandering

travelers. Crashes and booms fill the air as the thunder illuminates the crystal clear water. A lone, run-down ruin of a ship bounces across the sea, slowly disintegrating as the sea plays with its new toy. Above the thundering lightning sounds a voice, sweet as honey picked right off the comb and light as a feather. As the tune swims through the air and into the cabin, a dark-haired figure turns his face towards the window, beady, raven eyes flying to the bursting column of water emerging from the water. As a flying sword hits its mark a hair from his neck, Kanzo dryly weeps at his broken window. “While I appreciate your flaunting of swordsmanship, could you aim farther away from my duck figurine?” He looks pointedly at the floating nymph. A glass duck that looks a little too close to the bookshelf’s edge glistens under the warm, fluorescent light, almost winking back at Nerissa. Huffing, the sea fairy graciously leaps onto the dilapidated ship, sweeping the debris off the ship’s deck with a wave. As much as Kanzo loves Neri, he knows that she cared not for the intricate design nor the clever naming of the U.S.S. Liquor Ice (how dare she). Despite becoming acquaintances 10 years ago due to “work”—with Kanzo’s job as a sailor and Neri’s as, well, the guardian of the sea—the pair rarely meets, as Neri’s frequent business trips to the Soda Islands often interrupt Kanzo’s scheduling. A flash of scarlet interrupts their conversation, illuminating the sky as if it had been dyed with blood. Neri’s face morphs as her body starts convulsing, her heart aglow with the same shade of ruby belonging to the

sky. The ghost singer’s voice turns gaunt, the song’s melodious harmony turning into a mumble of broken words from an ancient spell. Her eyes shine pure white, pupils shifting into a slight shade of wine as her arm stretches forward at an unnatural angle. The tune scales across octaves, reaching high into the soprano until—all sound breaks. An ear-splitting screech overtakes the world. Night turns from scarlet red to dark maroon. Neri disappears. Wincing at the noise, Kanzo scrutinizes the empty shadow. As the waves lap against the ship, the lone figure leans against the flagpole in blunt silence.

WHIFFS OF

The boat rocks quietly in the small of the ocean, holding onto the waters like a child pleading to be carried by its mother; this is the only solace Kanzo can find in the brooding night. The swaying lulls him to a light slumber, yet as his eyes flutter closed, a soft hum permeates the air once again. His head drifts in acknowledgment, nodding off in different directions as the notes change beat.

POMEGRANATE

by isabel lai

An ear-splitting screech overtakes

the world

Entranced by the tune, he reluctantly arises. Kanzo shuffles his feet like a marionette following a play’s script, blankly gazing into the foggy waters. An invisible string pulls on his mind, pulleying him to the edge of the deck. Tottering like a child over the tip, his foot slips. And he falls. — The first time Kanzo meets her, she already looks annoyed. Deep in the cavern, he wakes up only to see a seething bejeweled crown of red buns. Glancing at the kelp in the entrance, he swivels around, only to be taken back by the ruby stare of a siren. “You do that a lot?” he lazily drawls as he recollects his composure over this creature. “No, we usually don’t get drowning sailors to join the team.” Blinking back at her, Kanzo doesn’t know how to respond. “Well, this drunk sailor’s

name is Kanzo. And yours?” He watches a flicker of thought flash across her face as she debates whether it is worth spending more time on this lost cause. Thirty seconds later, she decisively mutters a quiet “Miko” back to him. He looks like he’s going to throw up, and she can’t tell if it's from laughter at her name or he’s actually seasick. While it isn’t exactly her real name, strangers typically didn’t laugh at her alias as a sign of appreciation after being revived from the practical dead. Feeling well enough to get up, Kanzo propels himself off the make-shift bed, only to find himself drowning once again. While the cave did offer free oxygen, it did not warrant a “Caution of Water” sign. He quickly gathers himself because, frankly, what sailor does not know how to swim? Silently watching him, Miko—or whatever her actual name is—merely scoffs while monitoring the poor sailor-turned-merman struggle in his dearest attempts to live. She grabs him by the hood, dragging him towards the towering, red tourmaline castle. As they approach a distant throne, Kanzo catches Miko’s eyes turn downcast, no longer looking straight ahead. Questioning the sudden change in attitude, he mocks her, kicking over sand as they march towards the looming figure. Yet as they become closer and closer, Kanzo looks up out of curiosity, straight into the bloodshot eyes of what he thinks is Walmart Maleficent. Slapping his back, Miko glares blackholes that are centuries-deep and millennia-wide into the ground, motioning for him to avert his eyes. Unfazed by Miko’s blatant gesture, the Dark Enchantress smiles broadly at Kanzo. With no sense of preservation, Kanzo stares back, feeling a slight burn at the back of his head a few seconds later. The soft yet incessant pulling and tugging becomes more and more overwhelming, stretching into every crevice of his brain. It was as if his mind had already been accustomed to this feeling before, allowing it to adapt to its new host suspiciously quickly.

For a moment, Kanzo loses his heartbeat. It falls through the ground as manic panic fills his mind. His human restraint is withdrawn and replaced with animal instincts. His eyes grow yellower by the minute, resembling a savage wolf. Then, his emotions come flooding back. He shakes his head as if he hallucinated the moment. He catches Miko begrudgingly bowing to the Dark Enchantress with a blob of words ending with “Yes, Your Eminence.” As they are dismissed,

IN THE SUMMER WIND

Kanzo looks questioningly at Miko, unaware of the transaction that occurred as he turned feral and ignorant of the price they would both have to pay.

— The next time Kanzo actually holds another conversation is one a little too close to death (which is, at this point, a recurring theme in their relationship). In character and unsurprisingly like Maleficent, the Dark Enchantress does have mindless armies of animals and soldiers to fight on her behalf. Unfortunately, she needs another punching bag in case Queen Amaya decides she wants to inevitably fight back. “

as he turned feral

and ignorant of the price they would both have to pay ”

While Kanzo may not have been the first punching bag of his kind, Miko never necessarily approved of such appointments despite remaining loyal to the Dark Enchantress. She knows not if this is out of jealousy as the Dark Enchantress’s right-hand seaman or because some part of her conscience remained intact throughout the years and this was the time it decided to act up.

Unlike Miko, Kanzo knows little of the “mission” he is sent on. He merely recalls the two conspiring to steal the Heart of the Depth, an apparently incredibly valuable artifact found in the abyss. Little can be done about his position in their quest, so the best Kanzo can do, and all he ever does, is remain nonchalant. It is on Sunday morning when Dark Enchantress decides it is time. During the previous night, Kanzo hears screeches and rustles of demonic creatures gathering in preparation for the big day. To an outsider, it may have looked like the bridal shower of an infernal wedding, as the witch was known to have pretentious and flamboyant attacks. However, behind all the bustle and commotion lay a quiet siren, pondering over the battle plans. Miko hid in her typical cave, locked up away to figure out their plans to victory. Creeping up beside her, Kanzo glances confusedly at the numbers scribbled all across the page. “What are those for?” He raises his eyebrow. Stiffening at his presence, she dodges the question instead, asking, “What are you here for?” He shrugs in response. Silence lies between them like a heavy blanket, filling in the ruptures of their conversation. The two sit, each movement echoing throughout the spacious chamber. Peering over her shoulder, Kanzo glances admirably at the power and efforts behind a single siren (not that he would admit it). He and Miko lie in what could be considered their most peaceful moment, just living in the presence of each other’s company. While they had not been close at first, she provides the little comfort he can find in the lonesome sea while he provides the first companionship she has had in years. Yet knowing the transaction she made and the battle plan she makes in front of him, she knows this peace will not last long. Drifting away, she haughtily announces their departure time, an attempted display of bravado to cling onto some form of certainty. Kanzo knows that he cannot leave. Whether it be from the lingering aftereffects of the staring contest with the Dark Enchantress, the mysterious voice of the sea, or because of this so-called “fate” that Neri often talked about, Kanzo is rooted to his role.

— And as he is hit in battle, he remembers this very thought. He does not instinctively move to protect the Dark Enchantress’s body from Neri’s whirlpool of an attack. Instead, he catches Miko’s eye and does not miss the scarlet glow in her stare, the same shade as the long-forgotten sky. The same vocal color as the voice that drew him into the ocean. The same incessant tugging on his mind. In hindsight, he remembers the heavy words of Neri’s introduction when they first met. The grave responsibility and deep reverence she had for the ocean and its generous heart. Alas, perhaps she was right about this ‘fate.’ As Kanzo lay on the ocean floor, his mind feels blissfully free. He senses Miko’s presence as her gaze softens at him. Both know that it is far too late to repair anything, but they cling to a brief happiness neither of them fully ever experienced. As the light gradually fades from his eyes, Miko whispers to him.

“It’s Cherise. My name’s Cherise.”